Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Uruguay instead of Mississippi, you would:

Health

live 6.5 years longer

In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Uruguay, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 46.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Uruguay, however, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

make 26.5% less money

Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $30,700 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 2.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Mississippi, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Uruguay, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

View global rankings →

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: Mississippi vs. Uruguay

Cost of Living Comparison · 6 categories - 2026 data
Uruguay is 6.1% more expensive than Mississippi
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Mississippi is about 1.4 times smaller than Uruguay.
→

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
Read more

How big is Uruguay compared to Mississippi? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Uruguay or United States. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.